by R A Oakes
Chen hugged Gwendylln and Corson while Pensgraft stepped through the castle’s entrance and glanced around the courtyard. Dead bodies were everywhere. Freedom had come at a high price but, thankfully, most of the price had been paid by the enemy.
Pensgraft saw Balder and the remainder of his men on the walkway along the western wall. Dartuke, Thordig and the other nobles who’d survived were above on the front wall’s walkway.
Striding over to Pensgraft and Chen, Andrina said, “You’re lucky she got back safely.” Then, wearing a big smile, she hugged Chen so tightly the younger woman thought her ribs would break.
“That’s what I told him,” Gwendylln laughed.
Standing behind Andrina were Jewel and Flame who looked on smiling. No longer having dozens of duplicates of themselves, there was just one of each.
Aerylln and Marcheto were standing together holding hands. Walking over to the young man, Pensgraft gripped Marcheto’s shoulder, gave it a hard squeeze as a warning and said, “It’s okay with me if you date my daughter. Just watch yourself.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Your daughter?” Aerylln asked.
“We need to have a talk, young lady, a long one,” Pensgraft said. Then turning back to Chen, the giant warrior realized again how beautiful she was and, in his eyes, always would be.
Both of them looked down upon Crystal, the dark sword, who was lying on the ground imprisoned in solidified lava, as was the Crystal Medallion. And that’s how they would stay.
The College of Wizards was determined not to allow either to go free.
Chen, back in skintight, black leather, pressed her body up against Pensgraft.
“Okay, big guy, Balzekior’s defeated, at least for now, but what about the other challenge I mentioned?”
“Yes, let’s have a baby,” Pensgraft said hugging her.
“Are you sure?”
Leaning down, he kissed her and asked, “Will you marry me?”
“I’m going to be quite busy, so we’ll have to see,” Chen teased. “After all, I’ll be running Crystal Castle, and you’ll be taking over The Rock.”
“The Rock? And just how do you plan on accomplishing that?”
“Anyone object to this man becoming Lord Pensgraft?” Chen asked as she glared around daring someone to challenge her authority.
Tark approached Pensgraft and said, “General Gornic’s dead. That makes me senior officer of whatever’s left of Lord Daegal’s army. Many warriors at The Rock will rally to my banner. Plus, who’d have the stomach for fighting dozens of Jewels and Flames a second time?”
“But Crystal’s a prisoner, so Jewel and Flame can’t multiply.”
“Who knows that but us? Believe me, after today, there won’t be much resistance.”
“We’re talking about two castles, three-days ride apart. Chen, can we manage the distance between them?” Pensgraft asked.
“If you’re man enough for it, then I’m woman enough for it,” Chen said firmly.
“Well, I guess that settles it.”
“I want them both for our child,” she explained.
Having grandchildren will be nice, Andrina thought almost forgetting that Chen wasn’t actually her daughter.
“So, you’ll marry me?” Pensgraft asked again.
Chen remained silent.
“I love you,” Pensgraft said. “Then I accept.”
They embraced and kissed for a long time while everyone applauded.
Caught up in the joy and excitement of the moment, no one gave the entombed dark sword a second thought. But Crystal was seething in anger and already plotting her escape.
They closed the pit of flames, the dark sword grumbled to herself, but I can sense new cracks in the earth’s crust allowing demonic lava to flow north, and that could prove interesting.
I’ll wait till your baby’s born, and then I’ll kidnap the child putting it in such grave danger Chen will have to set me free if she wants to save her family, Crystal thought filled with malicious evil.
Pensgraft kissed Chen again, unaware of the dark sword’s plans.
“I’m really looking forward to this wedding,” Crystal said exuding good will.
But a positive sentiment from such an unlikely source immediately made Andrina suspicious. She thought, This sword needs to be watched and watched carefully.
Glancing over at Aerylln, Crystal saw Baelfire sheathed in a scabbard hanging from the young woman’s hip, and Zorya was next to her appearing more powerful than ever. A shudder of fear swept through the dark sword as she realized Aerylln’s powers were just beginning to develop.
Crystal now looked at the future with a mixture of both excitement and foreboding. Baelfire had always been an enemy, but now Crystal wondered how much of a threat Aerylln would be in coming years.
Only time would tell. And evil would be waiting to challenge her.
